Snap! Creative Works

Addiction(ary)

This is one of the best sites I've seen recently - for a long time really. I like it because I speak that language - the one you make up.

In fact my mentor, coach and foremost good friend (and co-hub) Mike give me the brilliant idea to start my own dictionary. Which came after yet another lively conversation with him that I type poorly and end up making up words incidentally while I type.

Voila!

Perfect answer.

Enjoy the Addictionary. Thanks to Troy for sending it to me.

I'll publish mine as it grows.

I've Had Issues

I've been having major issues with Typepad & Firefox with very little success (I'm using a different web browser in order to post right now). 

So I've not been neglecting you on purpose - I've been frustratingly trying to muck through it with a huge amount of help from my Fine Husband (who is way more technologically wired than I.)

So I'll be back on track directly. Thanks.

Ginger

Over The Top - Otherwise Known As Poorly Done

I've attended a few "introduction to X organization day" events lately. I'm all about learning things, seeing, hearing, taking it all in.

Being around people who are engaged, passionate and really switched on to something that is of curiosity to me is invigorating and refueling.

Exception: When the groups representatives have assumed the novices or people present who responded to the 'check us out 'offer are not in their shoes.

Let me explain.

We have to always, always, always, remember - if we are recruiting, introducing, informing someone of something entirely new, we have to put ourselves into their shoes. Step out of the expert mentality, the flaming enthusiast. Get into the mind set of a person new to the idea.

These two experiences differed in that the 2nd one was way less pushy, aren't we great kind of feel. And I honestly don't think the first one was trying to do that - it simply came off that way.

Tips for a good novice/check us out event:

1. Spend some time remembering what you were like when you were first considering this activity. Step into that mode.
2. Unless absolutely necessary, forgo requiring people to sign anything. It feels like you forcing a commitment, and can lessen the excitement to try it out.
3. STAY ON TIME. For heavens sake, don't waste people's time.
4. Do a dry run of your event first to check it out. Ask a few unfamiliar friends to sit through it and help you tweak it. Getting the bugs out before will be better than damage control after.
5. Make sure all those organization members who will be involved with the event are crystal clear on how it will roll.
6. Event hosts carry and use hand held communication devices if you will physically be far away from one another. We waited over an hour(!) to 'try' out one such activity, I was so turned off at that point that little could get my interest back up.
7. If you use specialized terms/terminology, have a simple hand out or have something posted with definitions. Don't talk jargon with newbies. It's not impressive - it's confusing and intimidating.

Think. Practice. Execute. Suceed.

Derivation of Incommunicado

Venting today.

It fries me when people do not return communication. No reason, neglect plain and simple.

Since when is it acceptable to say you are going to do something, not do it, not bother to get in touch to inform someone of your (change of) plans and then let is languish? Rather, let the other person or party involved languish...wonder...wait...get frustrated.

Answer: Never.

Recently I've had that experience (again) with a relatively large organization. They started off really well.

Enthusiasm, meeting more people in the organization. Some of them even attending some of my events. Great!

Then, ball dropped. Apparently into an abyss.

What gives?

Solution for me? I plan to go straight to the top, which is where the relationship started anyway. That top person was the first person I met and I feel comfortable doing so. Also - if it were my business, you'd bet your sweet bippy I'd want to know.

Being busy is a tired excuse and unacceptable. We're all busy.

I've given plenty of opportunity (phone calls, emails, in person) for these others folks to do right by communicating professionally, and in a timely manner.

If nothing else you get back in touch and say, "Hey, I'm swamped/no longer interested/whatever" so the other party waiting knows what the heck is going on.

Like I used to tell my students, Good Manners Are Always In style.

Photo courtesy of Flickr by plong

Culture

Company Culture.
Corporate Culture.

Are they the same thing or different? Can they coexist? What's your definition?

I know I have talked about company culture before. It bears repeating and rethinking.

Here's what I think:

You can have as many definition as you want for whatever you want. Unless and until the gut follows the definition - and usually precedes it with action - then it really does not matter.

Call it what you like. If you're doing what your gut drives you to do, then that's the key.

Photo courtesy of Flickr by jesus_led_me

Surgery

As I was listening to NPR the other day, the guest on the show uttered the following phrase:

Email = Cultural Lobotomy

Context? Really doesn't matter. As much as I like and use email, I feel interacting with the phone and in-person it way more important for effective and respectful two way communication.

That said, email is a fabulous solution for one way info (dry, technical, "here's the meeting details") kind of information.

Otherwise pick up the phone, walk across the office. Talk it up.

Avoid being a lobotomy patient.

Photo courtesy of Flickr by caramel377

And.....We're Live

What a ball! I had the distinct honor and pleasure to be on live radio this past Friday with Michael Libbie, Insight Cubed. He was kind enough to have me be his guest on Insight On Business.

Michael is a gracious, fun and engaging host who talks about business, 'things' and life as we know it (whether it's good or whatever else).

Take a Listen.

We talked about my upcoming workshop, WomenEnjoyingBeer, less is more and all kinds of other good stuff - related to connectivity and business.

Thanks to Brent who chimed in from Omaha and everyone else who listened, took a gander and was interested.

Hope to reach out via the airwaves again soon. Thanks Michael!!!

Photo courtesy of Flickr and Impromptu Studios

Libbie, Libbie, Libbie on the radio, radio, radio...

Cool! Listen in today if you can. Thanks!

I'm Good At...

...being curious.

My Fine Husband gave me a great compliment the other day.

"You're really good at being curious."

Very cool. Especially coming from some one whom I value so highly.

Curiosity is so much fun, so innovation based, so happily unexpected, I cannot imagine not being curious. Not exploring thoughts, ideas, things, places, people, food, buildings, paths.

What are you good at?

I'm Bad At...

...being lazy.

I don't mean relaxing, I can do that fine. That's different. And I'm a big sleeper & napper - so I'm good there. When you expend a lot of energy daily like I do, you need lots of recharging time. I do anyway...

I mean I'm bad at being lazy, non productive. Feeling like I have something to do and then not doing it. Think I like to putz, tinker around, get things done. Especially so on the weekends.

And I'm not hung up on being incredibly busy all the time either. Just like to get stuff done, feels good and worthwhile and usually fun.

What are you bad at?